The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-18
THECONNAUGHTON MURDER.
Alfred Isaacs Again Arrested on Charge
Of Having Fired the Fatal Shot.
An Indictment Is Returned Against Him by
the Grand Jury on Evidence of Persons
Who Say He Is the Murderer.

Alfred Isaacs, the merchant policeman who
had charge of beat on Illinois street for over
two years. sold it to w. H. Walker. of the
Metropolitan police force for $500 yesterday
| morning. He agreed to go the rounds with
Walker for night or two and last evening as
they were coming out of Pearl street on to
Illinois. Deputy Sheriff Langenberg placed his
hands upon Isaacs and said: II have warrant
for your arrest"
For whats" excitedly said Isaacs
For the murder of Thomas Connaughton."
Isaacs without another word except to bid
Walker good night, went with the deputy
sheriff to the Jail where he was locked in CELL
When the grand jury made its report, yester
day, it stated that but one Indictment for muir
der had been returned. However, when the in
dictments handed to Clerk O'Donnell, it
was noticed that there was la
beled ''for the murder of Connaugh
ton" Who the indicted person could
not to be learned at the time. Deputy Prose
cutor Hoffman acknowledged that such find
| Ing had been made by the jury, but dared not
| name the person for fear he would leave the city
on learning Of the trouble ahead for him. The
| murder WAS committed on the 22d of last De-
cember, ac 1873 Virginia avenue. Connaughton
was a young man boarding at that place. and
had had some trouble with a member of the
| family. A warrant was sworn out for
| the arrest of Connaughton and was
| put in the hands of Constable
| Reinholi for service. At o'clock on the
! ing of the day named the officer went to Con-
naughton's boarding place and met him at the
| door After a few words had passed Connaugh-
| ton pushed Reinhod aside and ran. Recover
ing himself the constable shot twice in the air,
but Connaughton, running to the front OF the
| house and then north jumped the fence into
| the coal yard He started east, toward New
Jersey street. and when fifty feet from the coal
| shed, which stands on the corner, some person,
secreteo near the shed, fired two shots at him.
One passed through his body, near the heart
The next day the wounded man died. The only
persons near at the time of the murder, SO far
| as known, were Reinhold, Elmer Mcclure. q
clerk in the c.. Fl. & /. freight depot and Ser
geant Sauers of the police force When Capt
Campbell and other officers came mp and asked
who did the shooting, Reinhold and Mcclure
| said it was Alfred Isaacs, but Sergeant Sauers
| remarked that he had not the merchant
policeman there. Isaacs was arrested had a
| preliminary trial before the Mayor, and was ac-
| quilted. Reinnold subsequently, arrested
also. and likewise acquitted. The mystery OF
| the murder seemed to grow the more
the officers sought to solve it. The grand jury,
| in session at the Time investigated the affair,
but failed to return an indictment. AT its next
session the evidence was again heard without
| returning an 1nOlctmcnC All THIS Lllno lleln-
nold and Mcclure persistently claimed that
Isaacs must be the man. but they could offer no
substantiating evidence. Mcclure, time after
| tine told how he followed Isaacs to the street
fAmp on New Jersey street. and In the full glare
of the light looked him sqnarely in the face He
told him he was ''h-l of an officer"
The grand jury of this month went to work on
the case with renewed vigor 1t was assisted by
| Mr.. Relnhold, who, resting under a cloud from
having been arrested for the crime. was
| determined that the mystery should be solved.
tie believed there were more witnesses than had
yet appeared. who could tell about the affair oc
| curing as it did, when the streets were crowded
with people homeward bound. Two or three OF
| these persons were dscoverned. and upon their
evidence the indictment was returned Enoch j.
Williams, a painter living at SO Dun
of the murder on his way home the
evening it occurred. For several months he did
not say anything. but he finally let some remark
drop that brought his testimony from him. The
| grand jury examined him. but what he told is
not known, except that he said ne within a
few feet of Isaaes when the shot was fred, and
could not have been mistaken in the man. Be-
sides him there are two women VINO were neal
the coal scales, not far from the shed, at the
time, and it is said they identified Alfred Isaacs
as the man who fred the shot and then eas
toward New Jersey street, alleged by Nc
CURE.
1saacs, but he sent word from his cell: II viii
not talk to any newspaper man." Robert EN-
NETT, the turnkey, says the prisoner is greatly
depressed, and that he bad refused to say any
thing to his most intimate friends. Three weeks
ago last Sunday Isaacs had very serious affray
with Johnnie Higgins that cost him his polio,
powers. He then told his friends he was goins
to leave Indianapolis and never return 1t wa
with this in view that he sold his beat to patrol
man Walker Those who know him best say hi
has not been himself since Connaughton wa
murdered. Isaacs was, for some time. mem
Der of the Metropolitan police force.